This invention relates to a template which is used to prepare lined sheet music paper.
Musicians and others who work with sheet music often encounter the need to line blank paper in order to prepare sheet music paper. Such lining is difficult to accomplish with an ordinary straight edge because the staff lines must be drawn rather closely together and parallel. Also, the staffs must often be separated from one another in relatively uniform fashion to provide adequate space for lyrics to be written in between each pair of staffs.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,905,117 to Walton shows one type of stencil device that may be used to prepare sheet music paper. The stencil must be slid along a straight edge to guide a writing instrument in marking the staff lines, and it is thus difficult to draw the lines accurately. In addition, the number of lines contained in each staff is not variable, nor is the spacing between adjacent staffs. Therefore, this type of stencil device is useful only in preparing sheet music which has a given number of lines per staff and a preset spacing between staffs. Also, when the lines are to be marked in ink, the sliding of the stencil causes smearing of the ink to an unacceptable extent. Plastic templates are generally unsatisfactory because the plastic strips between the slots are so narrow and weak that they are unable to withstand the pressure of a pen or pencil without moving and thus causing inaccurate lines to be drawn.
It is the primary goal of the present invention to provide an improved template for use in lining sheet music paper.
More specifically, it is an object of the invention to provide a template that presents a plurality of closely spaced slots in which the staff lines may be quickly and accurately drawn.
Another object of the invention is to provide a template that is constructed of metal to enhance the strength of the narrow strips between the slots.
A further object of the invention is to provide a template that includes adjustable guides for indicating the locations at which the staff lines are to be drawn.
In conjunction with the preceding object, it is yet another object of the invention to provide a template in which guides of various lengths are included for the drawing of staffs having various numbers of lines.
An additional object of the invention is to provide a template of the character described wherein the guides may be quickly and easily attached, detached, and adjusted in position.
A still further object of the invention is to provide a template of the character described that is constructed economically yet durably.
Other and further objects of the invention, together with the features of novelty appurtenant thereto, will appear in the course of the following description.